Amsa Station tonkatsu: QR ordering and Kirin beer for two at Tonka

Tonka, a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) spot near Amsa Station — I never knew my neighborhood had a place this good!

A new tonkatsu restaurant near Amsa Station: what is Tonka like?

Tonka is a tonkatsu restaurant that recently opened on Sangam-ro 5-gil in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, near Amsa Station. On a weekend evening, my husband and I wanted to eat out, so we looked around the Amsa Station area and ended up at Tonka.

I like tonkatsu, so I usually try a new place at least once, and Tonka seems to have built buzz already even though it just opened. I went out of curiosity, and by the time we left, "I never knew the neighborhood had a place like this!" came out on its own. If you're looking for good tonkatsu near Amsa Station, I'm leaving this review for you.

Maybe because it's new, Tonka's exterior looked clean and stylish. It had a vibe that makes you wonder, "What is this place?" And since the meal was great too, it became even more memorable :)

Atmosphere and seating at Tonka: a cozy counter for 7–8 people

Tonka has counter-style seating for about 7–8 people at a time, so it's a compact shop. The inside isn't big, but that actually let us focus on the tonkatsu.

At first I was a bit surprised by how small the space was, but I ended up liking it more because of that. You can see the kitchen directly, so you can watch your order being made up close. Seeing the meat prepped and fried right in front of you builds anticipation before the food even arrives.

Tonka menu, prices and how to order

Tonka has just three menu items: tonkatsu (tenderloin + loin) for ₩15,000, special loin katsu for ₩18,000 and sasami katsu (chicken tenderloin cutlet) for ₩14,000. You order with the QR code on the table, which is handy because you don't need to call a staff member.

The menu was simpler than I expected.

• Tonkatsu (tenderloin + loin) ₩15,000
• Special loin katsu (limited quantity) ₩18,000
• Sasami katsu (limited quantity) ₩14,000

With so few items, it felt like the focus is on the tonkatsu itself.

The limited items were sold out on Saturday evening

The special loin katsu and sasami katsu are sold in limited quantities, and they were already sold out when we visited on Saturday evening. It was a little disappointing, but since it was our first visit, we ordered the tonkatsu (tenderloin + loin) so we could try both cuts. In the end, getting two cuts at once turned out to be a satisfying choice :)

With the counter layout, you sit close to the kitchen. Thanks to that, we could naturally watch the tonkatsu being made, so the wait wasn't boring at all. Watching the cooking was surprisingly fun :)

Can you drink beer at Tonka? Kirin bottled beer with tonkatsu

At Tonka, you can order Kirin bottled beer while you wait for the tonkatsu. After ordering our food, I got a bottle of Kirin while waiting.

Sitting at the counter, watching the cooking and sipping beer, I suddenly felt like I was at a tonkatsu shop in Japan :)

Tonkatsu and beer really is a combo that never fails. One bite of crispy tonkatsu and one sip of cold beer — that alone was reason enough to visit 🍺

How was Tonka's tonkatsu (tenderloin + loin)?

Tonka's tonkatsu comes as a full set with rice, soup and cabbage salad; the tenderloin was soft and the loin had a rich, nutty flavor. After waiting with my beer, the tonkatsu finally arrived, neatly plated, and just looking at it made me happy.

Personally, I think the main dish matters but so does what comes with it, and Tonka's set was more than enough for a meal. The warm soup was nice to sip between bites, and the cabbage salad went well with the crunch of the cutlet and cut through the richness.

The first thing I noticed when it arrived was the golden-brown color of the crust. You could tell right away that it was fried crisp, and my expectations shot up.

Tenderloin katsu: juicy and tender along the grain

I tried the tenderloin first and it was really soft. The moment I bit in, I felt the juicy meat, and it chewed tenderly along the grain, so I could fully feel what makes tenderloin special.

Loin katsu: rich flavor from just the right amount of fat

The loin had a different charm from the tenderloin. The right amount of fat gave it a deep, nutty flavor, and the meat taste stayed alive the more I chewed. I liked the softness of the tenderloin, but the rich flavor of the loin was what I remembered most.

Above all, the coating wasn't thick but lightly crisp, so the natural flavor of the meat came through and I could finish without feeling weighed down. What I especially liked was that I didn't notice any gamey smell in the meat at all. It felt like fresh ingredients, and the frying was good, so I enjoyed it to the end.

Salt, tonkatsu sauce and mustard: how to enjoy the tonkatsu

If you alternate between salt, tonkatsu sauce and mustard, Tonka's tonkatsu never gets boring until the last bite. Dipped in salt, the natural flavor of the meat comes alive, and with tonkatsu sauce you get that familiar tonkatsu charm. Adding a little mustard brought a sharp kick that was another treat. With so many ways to eat it, I enjoyed it to the very last piece without getting tired of it.

An empty bowl says it all. Next time I'll come back for the items that sold out!

Is Tonka near Amsa Station worth going back to?

Tonka only opened recently, so many people may not know it yet, but I could see why it's already getting word of mouth. Next time I'll go a bit earlier and try the sold-out special loin katsu and sasami katsu for sure. If you're looking for good tonkatsu near Amsa Station, give Tonka a visit :)